Texas pastor Joel Osteen responds to backlash over not opening his megachurch to Harvey victims

Joel Osteen, the Texas televangelist, spoke out on Monday after receiving a bevy of online criticism over not opening the massive Lakewood Church to flood victims for days.

Osteen told ABC News that the Houston megachurch would “continue to be a distribution center for those in need” and had been “prepared to house people once shelters reach capacity.”

The megachurch announced late Tuesday morning it had begun receiving people displaced by Harvey, which made landfall in Texas on Friday as a Category 4 hurricane but has been downgraded to a tropical storm.

Osteen had faced intense backlash after tweeting prayers for Harvey victims while Lakewood Church – the former home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets that seats 16,000 people – remained empty for days.

Lakewood is receiving people who need shelter. We are also receiving supplies such as baby food, baby formula and other shelter needs.